I am using plenty of sensors in my house, which are all connected to Wemos D1mini modules. Now I decided to develop a Sensor distribution box. Inside this box there will be the Wemos with a Multiplexer so that I am able to connect multiple Sensors. This will then be put into an housing and all I will have to do in the future will be to plug all the sensors to this box. Now I was searching for small connectors, so that I have a standard connection of the sensors to this box. My favorite solution is a 3-channel 2.5mm or a 3.5mm audio phone connector.
I already did some research if it is possible to supply sensor nodes with power via these connectors. But I couldn´t get an answer to the electrical limits. Does anybody have experiences in using the small audio phone connectors for the power supply of arduino sensors? The voltage will be 5V and I guess the current draw of each sensor will even in peaks be below 200mA. What are your suggestions?
I've also found these very attractive because the sockets are commonly available in a small "bulkhead mount" form that you can mount on your enclosure by simply drilling a hole.
Most other equivalent connector options I've seen are much larger.
It seems like it's not best practices to use a connector for something other than its common usage, but you do see these used for other than audio. For example, my Canon DSLR camera uses a phone jack for the wired remote trigger.
Most of my sensors are using GND, VCC and one analog pin. If one of the sensors needs other pins I will use a seperate microcontroller at this sensor and then send the evaluated signal to my sensor box. From my actual point of view it wouldn´t be possible to develop a standard sensor box. Do you have a better solution?
@pert: So do you think it is worth to try the audio phone connectors? I am absolutely new to the electronics and I am afraid to cause a fire or anything
njjjnknkjjnknjk: @pert: So do you think it is worth to try the audio phone connectors? I am absolutely new to the electronics and I am afraid to cause a fire or anything
Please don't use those audio connectors with any power wiring. They normally short pins to ground as you insert the plug.
Nope, that is no issue. I use the front as Vcc, the second one for data and the last one for GND. So there is no case, where GND and Vcc are conneted to the same connector. I tried this with a mulitmeter and a diode test
njjjnknkjjnknjk:
Nope, that is no issue. I use the front as Vcc, the second one for data and the last one for GND. So there is no case, where GND and Vcc are conneted to the same connector. I tried this with a mulitmeter and a diode test
I guess you are not using a metal enclosure, then.
